backlighting
|back-light-ing|
🇺🇸
/ˈbækˌlaɪtɪŋ/
🇬🇧
/ˈbæklaɪtɪŋ/
(backlight)
lighting from behind
Etymology
'backlighting' originates from Modern English, specifically the compound 'back' + 'light' (from Old English 'bæc' and 'leoht'), where 'bæc' meant 'rear, back' and 'leoht' meant 'light'.
'backlighting' developed by compounding 'back' and 'light' in English; 'back' comes from Old English 'bæc' and 'light' from Old English 'leoht', which through Middle English formed 'back' and 'light' and later gave rise to the verb 'backlight' and the noun 'backlighting'.
Initially it denoted simply 'light from the back'; over time it has retained that core sense and broadened to include technical senses (e.g., display backlighting) and metaphorical uses.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the technique or effect of illuminating a subject from behind, often producing a rim, halo, or silhouette.
The photographer used backlighting to create a dramatic silhouette.
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Noun 2
in display technology, illumination provided from behind a display panel (e.g., the backlighting used in many LCD screens).
Modern LCD TVs rely on backlighting to make the image visible.
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Verb 1
present participle form of 'backlight' (denoting the action of lighting from behind).
He is backlighting the actor to create a halo effect.
Adjective 1
used attributively to describe something characterized by lighting from behind (e.g., a backlighting effect).
The scene's backlighting gave the actor a glowing outline.
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Last updated: 2025/12/26 16:03